Borderline skiing
THE Changbaishan ski resort, tucked away in Jilin province on the rugged mountains of northeast China, is one of China’s premiere ski destinations.
The actual mountain known as Changbaishan is one of the largest mountains in China, and it basically means “often white mountain.” It sits to the east of the ski resort, not far from the borders of Russia and North Korea.
The resort here is yet another sign that snow skiing in China is growing in demand, and perhaps it will only be a matter of time before the country hosts its first Winter Olympics.
In China, snow skiing is one of the fastest growing leisure activities in the country. Hotels such as the Sheraton and Westin have opened at Changbaishan, they sit at the bottom of the ski runs just a walking distance from both hotel lobbies.
The ski resort is located just five kilometers from the Yanji International Airport, and bus transportation makes it all too convenient for visitors to arrive, check in and hit the slopes.
The ski range has a variety of runs for the beginner and the expert. There are plenty of ski instructors available to those who need lessons on how to glide down a mountain on a pair of skis without falling down. Ski rentals are available along with full and halfday lift passes. And night skiing is also possible for those who can’t satisfy their thirst for snow skiing during the day.
Ski season at the Changbaishan resort begins in November and runs through early May, making it the only resort in China that offers seven months of skiing. When it opened a few years ago it only had one ski lift and four trails, now it has nine lifts and some 40km of trails. With progress like this it’ll be no time at all before the Chinese dominate a sport that hardly had a presence in the country a mere decade ago. – Chinadaily.com. cn/ANN
It is an ideal place for skiing and ice-skating because of its well-constructed ski tracks, comprehensive winter sports training facilities and breathtaking environment.
Winter on Changbai Mountain features vast slopes of white snow and its snow quality is said to compare to that of the Alpine region of France and Italy.
Enthusiasts can also choose other activities including motor skiing, sleigh skiing, shooting and hunting. The resort is located in the heart of Changbei Mountain Nature Reserve’s dense forest and has natural hot springs.
Location: It is 500 kilometers east of Changchun, capital of Northeastern China’s Jilin province.